Enrique Figueroa
Encyclopedia
Enrique Figueroa Suárez, also known as "Quique Figueroa" (born February 25, 1964), is a Puerto Rican
sailor
. Figueroa is the only sailor
of Puerto Rico
to win four gold medals in the Central American-Caribbean
Games. He has also competed at four Olympic Games
between 1988
and 2004
.
) where he was raised and where he went to school receiving his primary and secondary education. He first became interested and participated in sailing when he was ten years old. In 1980, when he was sixteen, he participated in his first competition, the 3rd "Hobie 16
worlds" celebrated in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
where he came in 3rd place. The following year (1981), he participated in the 6th Hobie Fourteen Worlds in Fortaleza, Brazil
where he came first.
In 1984, Figueroa was in the 7th Hobie 14 Worlds celebrated in Puerto Azul, Philippines
and came 3rd; in the same year, he enrolled the Universidad del Sagrado Corazon (Sacred Heart University
) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he majored in Business Marketing.
In 1994, Figueroa won the IYRU World Sailing Championship title. He met and married Carla Malatrosi, a sportswoman from Puerto Rico who also loves sailing. In 1999, Figueroa and his wife won a gold medal in sailing in the Pan Am Hobie competition celebrated in Winnipeg, Canada
. Figueroa competed in the 2000 Olympic Games held in Sydney, Australia without his wife. She stayed behind to give birth to the first of their two daughters, Isabella Victoria. In 2002, Figueroa and his wife came in 3rd place in the Hobie Racing-ISAF Sailing Games H-16 which took place in Marseille, France in which they went against 36 teams representing 20 nations.
On February 2, 2004, Figueroa and fellow teammate Jorge Hernández, won the Olympic Games Rolex Regatta; they were named champions by beating twenty-nine entries in the tornado fleet. The regatta
winners had their sights set on the 2004 Olympics and Partalympic Games in Athens, Greece. 503 sailors participated with a fleet of 323 boats representing 39 nations. Figueroa went to the 2004 Olympic Games and represented Puerto Rico at the Olympics for the fourth time.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
. Figueroa is the only sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
to win four gold medals in the Central American-Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
Games. He has also competed at four Olympic Games
Sailing at the Summer Olympics
Sailing has been one of the Olympic sports since the Games of the I Olympiad, held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Despite being scheduled in the first Olympic program, the races were canceled due to severe weather conditions...
between 1988
Sailing at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Sailing/Yachting is a Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad . With the exception of 1904 and possible 1916 sailing was always a part of the Olympic program....
and 2004
Sailing at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Sailing at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Agios Kosmas Olympic Sailing Centre with eleven events being contested.The events were split into four classes for men, four for women, and three mixed classes that were open to both men and women...
.
Early years
He was born in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
) where he was raised and where he went to school receiving his primary and secondary education. He first became interested and participated in sailing when he was ten years old. In 1980, when he was sixteen, he participated in his first competition, the 3rd "Hobie 16
Hobie 16
See Also: Hobie 16 subsection of Hobie cat entryThe ISAF International Class Hobie 16 is a popular catamaran manufactured by the Hobie Cat Company for racing and day sailing...
worlds" celebrated in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
where he came in 3rd place. The following year (1981), he participated in the 6th Hobie Fourteen Worlds in Fortaleza, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
where he came first.
In 1984, Figueroa was in the 7th Hobie 14 Worlds celebrated in Puerto Azul, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and came 3rd; in the same year, he enrolled the Universidad del Sagrado Corazon (Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University is a Roman Catholic university located in suburban Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. Sacred Heart was founded in 1963 by the Most Reverend Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sacred Heart University was the first Catholic university in...
) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he majored in Business Marketing.
Competitions
Among the other competitions in which Figueroa has participated are:- In 1985, Hobie 14 Worlds in Isla Verde, Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
where he won 1st place and - In 1986, 6th Hobie 16 Worlds in Suva, FijiFijiFiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
where he took 2nd place.
In 1994, Figueroa won the IYRU World Sailing Championship title. He met and married Carla Malatrosi, a sportswoman from Puerto Rico who also loves sailing. In 1999, Figueroa and his wife won a gold medal in sailing in the Pan Am Hobie competition celebrated in Winnipeg, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Figueroa competed in the 2000 Olympic Games held in Sydney, Australia without his wife. She stayed behind to give birth to the first of their two daughters, Isabella Victoria. In 2002, Figueroa and his wife came in 3rd place in the Hobie Racing-ISAF Sailing Games H-16 which took place in Marseille, France in which they went against 36 teams representing 20 nations.
On February 2, 2004, Figueroa and fellow teammate Jorge Hernández, won the Olympic Games Rolex Regatta; they were named champions by beating twenty-nine entries in the tornado fleet. The regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
winners had their sights set on the 2004 Olympics and Partalympic Games in Athens, Greece. 503 sailors participated with a fleet of 323 boats representing 39 nations. Figueroa went to the 2004 Olympic Games and represented Puerto Rico at the Olympics for the fourth time.